Oregons Hospitals and Nurses Work Together to Prepare for Ebola

Oregon's Hospitals and Nurses Work Together to Prepare for Ebola

Hospital news | Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Joint statement from the Oregon Nurses Association and the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems:

Ebola preparedness is something Oregon's hospitals and their nursing partners are taking very seriously. Nurses often are the first to encounter a patient who may be showing signs of an infectious disease— it is critical that they, and all frontline healthcare providers, have the proper training, equipment and protocols to remain safe and care for the patient.

In the wake of the situation in Dallas, Texas, we understand the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is reviewing all the protocols and procedures involved, and will be continuously putting out updated guidance as new information is received and best practices are developed. As new CDC guidance is issued regarding Ebola preparedness procedures, we are working with our collective memberships to incorporate all of these updates into plans and protocols.

It is important to remember that this situation is very fluid and rapidly changing. Any amount of preparation will require adjustment as more is learned about how best to care for any patient who is infected with Ebola, while protecting our healthcare providers. We need to continue to be flexible as we receive new guidance. In the end, hospitals and nurses have the same goals in the face of any Ebola case: to ensure patients are appropriately cared for at the right time and the right place and that all hospital and clinical staff are safe in providing that care.

We are directing people – both from our membership ranks and the public – who have questions about the most recent Ebola guidance, information, and protocols to consult the CDC website.

Lines of communication remain open between hospitals, nurses and our state public health authorities. We will all work together to keep information flowing through these important channels.

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